A bit of amusement ride history...

Joyland Books is the home of themagiceye, the world's best loved amusement park history website. Discuss amusement parks past and present in themagiceye's very own forum.

Moderator: dave771

A bit of amusement ride history...

Postby EAS » 09 Aug 2007, 14:51

User avatar
EAS
 
Posts: 1886
Joined: 18 Sep 2006, 09:09
Location: North

Postby AJ » 09 Aug 2007, 15:40

What a good find

The old Waterchute from Battersea which ended its days at Dreamland:

Image
Last edited by AJ on 10 Aug 2007, 17:23, edited 1 time in total.
AJ
 
Posts: 267
Joined: 19 Feb 2003, 14:04
Location: Hertfordshire

Postby Vince, Charlie and Sam » 09 Aug 2007, 18:42

In the background of AJ's photo is the Big Dipper, which I rode as a twelve year old on a Red Rover bus pass day out in London (I lived in Eltham as a child). When I got home, I told my Mum and she was furious, telling me it was dangerous and I was never to go near it again.

Although my Mum always had (to me) an exaggerated sense of danger, within a month of my visit, there was an accident on the Big Dipper when a train broke free at the top of the pull-up and rolled back into the station, killing five children who were waiting aboard the next train.

I remember the reports afterwards saying that the ride was in a very poor state of repair- the rear cable grip had not connected with the hawser, and when the front cable grip disconnected at the top of the pier, the train lurched backwards.

The train should have been prevented from rolling backwards by more than a few inches by the linear ratchet but the wood was so rotten that the on-train pawls just punched through it. One girl who survived the initial impact died when she scrambled off of the train, which had been shunted backwards by several yards, and fell through the wooden walkway which was also rotten.

It was because of this accident that the ADIPS testing regime was introduced I believe.
User avatar
Vince, Charlie and Sam
 
Posts: 922
Joined: 25 Aug 2003, 12:56
Location: Ramsgate.

Postby EAS » 09 Aug 2007, 19:06

And in fact it had been moved from Southport Pleasureland, then Sutton Park I believe.

Following the accident, many parks got rid of their woodies. Possibly they wouldn't have stood up to close inspection.
User avatar
EAS
 
Posts: 1886
Joined: 18 Sep 2006, 09:09
Location: North

Postby mesmoland » 26 Oct 2007, 23:10

:D The water chute at Battersea was the first proper ride I ever went on.I think I was 9 or 10,so that was 1975/76.It was the only ride left there, I enjoyed it so much I was allowed a few goes,but as soon as a few more people came along the operator started putting the price up.This was what started my interest in rides.Am I right in thinking there are no chutes left now?The last one I went on was in Blackpool.
Visit mesmoland on you tube "The World's First Cerebral Theme Park "
User avatar
mesmoland
 
Posts: 68
Joined: 22 Oct 2007, 19:53
Location: Bristol UK

Postby Nick » 27 Oct 2007, 07:19

mesmoland wrote:Am I right in thinking there are no chutes left now?The last one I went on was in Blackpool.


Correct. Rhyl was the last circular water chute. Blackpool's was demolished in 2006. The Battersea water chute that you remember is the one that was moved to Dreamland, but was scrapped in about 1996.

There are three surviving linear water chutes (i.e. rides where the boat is hauled back up the drop by a cable). These are at Kinderland (Scarborough), Wicksteed Park (Kettering) and East Park (Hull). The Scarborough water chute closed two weeks ago when Kinderland closed down for the last time. However, the water chute may reopen as part of the Sands development. These are much smaller rides than the circular water chutes and are a completely different ride concept.
Nick
www.joylandbooks.com
The Home of Amusement Park Books
User avatar
Nick
Site Admin
 
Posts: 791
Joined: 25 Jan 2003, 20:13
Location: Oxfordshire

Postby mesmoland » 27 Oct 2007, 15:20

Thanks for the reply, what a shame not one has been kept! But I suppose it's all down to money and the space they take up.So many parks seem to be having a hard time right now,but maybe with global warming travel will become so expensive, that more people will holiday at home.Then we could have a revival.....well at least I can dream. :wink:
Visit mesmoland on you tube "The World's First Cerebral Theme Park "
User avatar
mesmoland
 
Posts: 68
Joined: 22 Oct 2007, 19:53
Location: Bristol UK


Return to themagiceye: Amusement Parks Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests

cron